


To Sir with Love

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Holidays, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-19
Updated: 2011-10-19
Packaged: 2017-10-24 18:51:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/266709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I always remember things that you tell me.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Sir with Love

Six gifts sat on top of a pile of folders and files. He intended, eventually, to go through the files, but right now, he focused on something else. His Secret Santa gifts were all unwrapped and Hotch tried to figure out what was from whom. He hated these kinds of things but actually, it was the best time of the year to show his team that he cared. Hotch didn't always do well in the affection department; it was work after all. He sighed, stopped thinking about his shortcomings for a while, and focused on the gifts.

The Rubik’s Cube cufflinks had to be from Garcia. He didn’t know where he would ever wear them, though he liked cufflinks, they were quirky but thoughtful. She had to have been paying much attention to his wrists to know of his weakness for them. Hotch would make sure to wear them at least once over the course of the next year. They were not exactly crime scene appropriate but he would find a place.

He knew Morgan bought The Carpenters Boxed Set. He probably thought it was the ultimate gag gift. The two of them had a _Tommy Boy_ like moment a few months ago in Duluth when they were driving out of town and one of the local stations played _Hurting Each Other_. As if both struck at the same time, they just burst into song. It was Karen Carpenter; she could do that to normal people. They laughed about it when it was over, swearing not to tell anyone it happened. It was one of Hotch’s favorite recent memories.

That left four gifts. Hotch opened the cherry oak box and picked up the bottle of Pinot Grigio. On the inside of the box were all the accessories needed to handle a bottle of wine. This actually could have come from anyone but he was stuck between Rossi and JJ. There was also a sterling silver pen and pencil set, monogrammed. Again, that could have been either one of them. Maybe it was Emily; surely she drank wine and wrote. The gifts were not supposed to be about the giver but the recipient.

Reid surely was the giver of the autographed Roger Maris baseball. It boggled Hotch, he knew it had to cost more than the fifty-dollar limit he put on the team this year. Then again, the young genius knew so many people in so many different lifestyles; he could have gotten it anywhere. All Hotch knew for sure is it wasn’t from Mr. Maris because he died 22 years before. He wanted to take the ball out of the glass case, grip it, stroke it, but didn’t want to ruin it. He planned to give it to Jack one day…amazing gifts like that needed to span generations.

Hotch realized he hadn’t opened the last gift. He had torn the paper off but it was another package. It wasn’t a box but a leather satchel. It was actually more like a 19th century medical bag, not that Hotch knew why that was the first thing that sprang to his mind. He gently pushed the wine and pen aside and pulled it closer.

Ever curious, he pulled the two straps from the loops and flipped it open. Inside were four books, bound in leather, which he took out one by one. _A Study in Scarlet_ , _The Sign of the Four_ , _The Hound of the Baskervilles_ , and _The Valley of Fear_. They were the four novels Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote featuring the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. Hotch saw a card in the bottom of the satchel so he picked it up. **TO SIR, WITH LOVE**. It was simple block handwriting, black ink. He did not recognize it but figured that was the point. This was an amazing gift and might have had Reid beat in the price department.

It couldn’t have been from Rossi. He would never call Hotch sir, or write anything about love. It might be JJ. He never remembered mentioning his childhood love for all things Holmes but that didn’t mean he hadn't. Still, maybe they were from Emily. She would do that kind of thing, see something she knew someone would love and go overboard to get it. She was that kind of woman. Thinking she could care that much for him made Hotch shiver.

Then again, it could be JJ. He still needed to figure out the wine and the pen and pencil set. The wine was very Rossi, but it was also JJ and Emily. The pen and pencil set was quite JJ. It seemed impersonal on first glance but Hotch was actually rather picky about writing utensils. If you asked most people, Aaron Hotchner was picky about every damn thing. All three gifts were lovely but he really believed the books came from Emily. They were the only one with a card and even with indistinguishable handwriting; Hotch could imagine her sitting there with the card wearing a big smile knowing he would love it.

He put the books back in the case, not wanting to damage them in any way. Taking a deep breath, Hotch wondered if he would ever really know. Dammit, it had to be Emily. JJ was a wonderful person, he loved her like the sister he never had, but she wasn’t Emily. She didn’t think of him that way…would never have done this much.

Wait, what if Rossi was playing a trick on him. He had that tendency. What if this was a gag? What if he came in, gave him a friendly knock on the shoulder and had a good laugh about it? Oh, to hell with it, he was never going to know. They were all lovely gifts and he would just have to appreciate them for what they were, no matter who they came from.

The woman in question poked her head in after a light tap on the door.

“Hey.” She said.

Hotch waved his hand for her to come in and she did. It took him a moment to look up and when he did, he gasped. She changed from what she wore to work that morning. Emily Prentiss was now dressed in a red, long sleeved cocktail dress. There was a nice v-line down the front, accentuated by a diamond pendant.

The matching earrings glittered in her lobes. They were quite easy for Hotch to see with her long raven hair pulled up in a fashionable bun. Her beautiful neck was exposed and suddenly he felt like Count Dracula. Hotch cleared his throat and tried to breathe.

“You changed.” He cleared his throat again.

“I didn’t want to party in my work clothes. Do you know how long it’s been since I've had on a party dress?” she closed the door, coming in further.

“Didn’t your mother cajole you into going to that RNC fundraiser a couple of weeks ago? I am sure that required appropriate dress attire.”

“I didn’t think you would remember that.”

“I always remember things that you tell me.” Hotch replied.

“So um, you got a nice spread.” Emily changed the subject.

“Yes, you guys really outdid yourselves. I wish I could thank you individually but…I don’t know who bought what.”

“I bet the baseball is from Reid.”

“I figure as much.”

“And…” she came closer, leaning over his desk. Hotch tried to breathe as he inhaled the scent of her powdery light perfume and had a clear view of her very pleasant cleavage. “Ooh, The Carpenters Boxed Set. I love The Carpenters. I think that was Morgan, he never minds a chuckle at your expense. The cufflinks, definitely Garcia.”

“You're good.”

“Mmm hmm,” she turned and gave him a little smile. “That leaves the box, the bag, and the pens.”

“Pen and pencil set.” Hotch said.

“JJ.”

“You think?”

“Yeah. See it seems impersonal at first glance, but she knows how picky you are about writing utensils.”

“Oh my God.”

“What?” Emily asked.

“That’s what I said. Word for word that is what I said when I thought they were from her.”

Emily just smiled, moving to open the wooden box. She pulled out the bottle of wine; Hotch loved the way it looked in her hands.

“1994 was a very nice year for this vineyard. When do you plan on drinking this?”

“New Year’s Eve I think. What about the last gift?”

“You know,” she put the wine back. “I got a really nice gift and I don’t know who it came from.”

Emily turned, leaning on his desk. Actually, she was almost sitting on it and the way she perched made Hotch’s pulse beat too fast.

“What was it?”

"Come closer, I’ll show you.”

Hotch leaned in but that wasn’t enough. Without warning, Emily took hold of his hand and pulled him to her. Hotch braced his hands on either side of the desk to keep God knows what from happening. She tilted her neck to the side.

“Inhale.” She whispered.

He did as told and again the scent of her pleased him.

“Do you know what that is, Hotch?”

“Vera Wang, Sheer Veil.”

“No one here knows the name of the perfume I wear except JJ and she told me that it wasn’t her. She did buy me a lovely set of Anne Boleyn bookends though.”

“Sounds lovely.” Hotch nuzzled her neck, feeling Emily shiver against him. “I had to smell over twelve perfumes before I found the right one. The poor girl at the counter knew I was hopeless. It was the last one and as soon as I smelled it, I knew. It’s so much better on your skin than that piece of paper they give you.”

“I knew it was you…I hoped it was you.”

“You bought me the books; Sherlock Holmes?” he asked, reluctantly moving from her neck. If he didn’t put some distance between them surely he would lose control. Distance would be hard as Emily slid her arms around his neck.

“Elementary, my dear Hotchner.”

“You know that Holmes actually never…”

Her passionate kiss cut off the rest of his sentence. It cut off all thoughts entirely. Hotch held Emily around the waist, bringing her close until their torsos touched. When she moaned into his mouth, it made him quiver. She pulled away first but he brought her back. He wasn’t done; he wanted more.

“Strauss is out there.” Emily held him off. “Do you want to greet her with flushed cheeks and swollen lips? I mean, I think you look delectable but surely she would be suspicious.”

“Strauss…” Hotch whispered, having caught nothing else really from what she said. No, he caught delectable…that he heard.

“Mmm hmm. We should go outside and enjoy the party. Everyone has worked hard this year and we have overcome major obstacles to become an even better team. This is definitely a time to celebrate.”

“What about after the party?”

“Well, you said liked the smell of perfume on my skin. I think its time you had the opportunity to explore further.”

“How much further?” Hotch asked, barely able to think rationally at this point.

“You're going to unwrap me like a Christmas gift, and you're going to like what you find.”

“Yeah.” Hotch exhaled and smiled. Hell yeah.

“But first,” Emily gently pushed him away. She got up from the desk and went back to the door. “Come out to the party, Hotch, people are asking about you.”

“I’ll be right out. I need to um…gather myself.”

“Don’t keep us waiting too long.”

Without another word, she left the office. Hotch slumped back into his chair, trying to go over in his mind what had just happened. It was useless. He could only remember the kiss, the seductive smell of her skin, and the way her fingers stroked the nape of his neck.

He wiped his forehead before taking a deep breath. Standing up from the chair, Hotch got himself together. He needed to get out there and play Unit Chief. The faster he did that, the faster he could get home to enjoy the ultimate Christmas gift.

***


End file.
